My New Historic Home
I was floored when I got the call that my offer had been accepted on the single family home in the Highlands section of Lowell. Once I realized it was mine (barring any unfortunate discoveries during the upcoming inspection) I quickly put on my historian hat and researched the property.Through Census records, Lowell City Directories, Atlases, and permit records, I began to shape the story of my home.
In June of 1891, Utley and Boynton subdivided a portion of the Noah Spaulding farm that was located near Parker and Powell Streets. This 180-lot subdivision was the first major subdivision in the area following the Civil War. A, B, C, and D Streets ran east-west parallel to one another, while Spaulding and Puffer Streets ran north-south to make a grid. Built between 1880 and 1900, these homes were typical of worker homes built around the turn of the century. Soon after the subdivision occurred, Charles M. Dickey bought lots #44-#52 on the southerly side of B Street.
Charles Dickey was a popular citizen of Lowell and ran several successful hotels in the both Lowell and Lawrence. He came to Lowell at age 21 and worked in various hotels, such as the (old) Washington Hotel. He married Miss Julia Abbott in 1877. He was listed as a seller of men’s furnishings on Middlesex Street and the proprietor of the St. Charles Hotel on Middlesex Street in 1900. After selling the St. Charles Hotel, Charles Dickey bought the American Hotel and after remodeling opened it as the New American Hotel of Lowell. He remained active in town politics and was a member of the Highland Club.
Dickey built 7 wood-framed homes, #16, 20, 24, 30, 32, 36, and 40, in the 1890s. He used the homes as rental property. After declaring bankruptcy in 1932, his land and properties were subdivided and sold at auction.
The earliest tenants are yet unknown, but in the1900 Lowell Census the Lamberton Family is listed as living in the home. James Lamberton was a newspaper reporter who worked for the Morning Mail with offices located at 277 Central Street in Downtown Lowell. Also living in the home was his wife, Leah, and brother-in-law Herbert J. Lewis, who worked for the same paper as a stereotyper.
By 1910 Herbert Currier was listed as living in the home. He was a freight conductor for the Boston and Maine Railroad. He was listed there in the 1910 Census with his wife Nellie and his son Leslie. Frank Currier was listed as living next door, and he was a yard conductor at the B & M RR in 1910. He lived there with his wife Sadie, son Parker, and a lodger, Arthur Miller.
I love knowing the history of my new home, and I am starting to work on the architectural history to go with the owner history. I know it is typical of period worker housing with a simple front-gable form and Italianate details. At one point the wooden clapboards were covered with a type of shingle. I was overjoyed to find two large original windows in the dining room and a stained glass window at the top of the stairs, all which I hope to have restored. I'll know more when I am in it and digging around.
I can't wait to see what is in the attic...
In June of 1891, Utley and Boynton subdivided a portion of the Noah Spaulding farm that was located near Parker and Powell Streets. This 180-lot subdivision was the first major subdivision in the area following the Civil War. A, B, C, and D Streets ran east-west parallel to one another, while Spaulding and Puffer Streets ran north-south to make a grid. Built between 1880 and 1900, these homes were typical of worker homes built around the turn of the century. Soon after the subdivision occurred, Charles M. Dickey bought lots #44-#52 on the southerly side of B Street.
Charles Dickey was a popular citizen of Lowell and ran several successful hotels in the both Lowell and Lawrence. He came to Lowell at age 21 and worked in various hotels, such as the (old) Washington Hotel. He married Miss Julia Abbott in 1877. He was listed as a seller of men’s furnishings on Middlesex Street and the proprietor of the St. Charles Hotel on Middlesex Street in 1900. After selling the St. Charles Hotel, Charles Dickey bought the American Hotel and after remodeling opened it as the New American Hotel of Lowell. He remained active in town politics and was a member of the Highland Club.
Dickey built 7 wood-framed homes, #16, 20, 24, 30, 32, 36, and 40, in the 1890s. He used the homes as rental property. After declaring bankruptcy in 1932, his land and properties were subdivided and sold at auction.
The earliest tenants are yet unknown, but in the1900 Lowell Census the Lamberton Family is listed as living in the home. James Lamberton was a newspaper reporter who worked for the Morning Mail with offices located at 277 Central Street in Downtown Lowell. Also living in the home was his wife, Leah, and brother-in-law Herbert J. Lewis, who worked for the same paper as a stereotyper.
By 1910 Herbert Currier was listed as living in the home. He was a freight conductor for the Boston and Maine Railroad. He was listed there in the 1910 Census with his wife Nellie and his son Leslie. Frank Currier was listed as living next door, and he was a yard conductor at the B & M RR in 1910. He lived there with his wife Sadie, son Parker, and a lodger, Arthur Miller.
I love knowing the history of my new home, and I am starting to work on the architectural history to go with the owner history. I know it is typical of period worker housing with a simple front-gable form and Italianate details. At one point the wooden clapboards were covered with a type of shingle. I was overjoyed to find two large original windows in the dining room and a stained glass window at the top of the stairs, all which I hope to have restored. I'll know more when I am in it and digging around.
I can't wait to see what is in the attic...
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Comment by Heather Cole on May 5, 2009 at 11:08am - Kim - What fun! I loved researching the history of my 1901 house -- and was particularly thrilled when I found a 1932 photograph of the original owners buried under a pile of junk in the garage. A copy is now framed in our hallway. As we've done small renovation projects, I've found other treasures hidden in the walls and under the floorboards in our house: old newspapers, the names of the builders on scrap wood, the date the wallpaper was hung, etc. Our best find was a bottle and china-filled claw-foot tub buried in the back yard that was apparently used as a make-shift dump! Gotta love old houses!
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